Paralympics U-turn sees Russians banned from Beijing as F1 reverses out of deal

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics after a U-turn from the International Paralympic Committee, while Formula One is pulling out of Russia entirely.

This year’s race, due to take place in Sochi on September 25, was dropped from the calendar last week, but F1’s contract with its Russia promoter has now been cancelled following the invasion of Ukraine.

The IPC has been forced into a swift reversal of its policy after the announcement on Wednesday that athletes from Russia and Belarus would be allowed to compete under a neutral flag was met by criticism and the threat of a boycott.

In a statement on Thursday morning, IPC president Andrew Parsons said: “In taking our decision yesterday, we were looking at the long-term health and survival of the Paralympic Movement. We are fiercely proud of the principles and values that have made the Movement what it is today.

“However, what is clear is that the rapidly escalating situation has now put us in a unique and impossible position so close to the start of the Games. Yesterday we said we would continue to listen, and that is what we are doing.”

Parsons said 83 athletes would now be unable to compete, but the decision was taken because of the threat of widespread withdrawals from other countries as well as concerns about safety.

The situation in the athletes village, Parsons said, had “become untenable”.

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He said: “In the last 12 hours, an overwhelming number of members have been in touch with us and been very open, for which I am grateful. They have told us that, if we do not reconsider our decision, it is now likely to have grave consequences for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

“Multiple NPCs (National Paralympic Committees), some of which have been contacted by their governments, teams and athletes, are threatening not to compete.

“Ensuring the safety and security of athletes is of paramount importance to us and the situation in the athlete villages is escalating and has now become untenable.”

At a press conference, Parsons addressed the situation in the village, saying: “We don’t have reports of any specific incidents of aggression or anything like it but the mood in the village, athletes expressing their opinions against the decision we took yesterday, it was becoming a very volatile environment.”

Parsons apologised to athletes from Russia and Belarus, saying: “To the Para athletes from the impacted countries, we are very sorry that you are affected by the decisions your governments took last week in breaching the Olympic Truce. You are victims of your governments’ actions.

“I hope and pray that we can get back to a situation when the talk and focus is fully on the power of sport to transform the lives of persons with disabilities, and the best of humanity.”

Parsons said the IPC was braced for legal action from Russia and Belarus and that officials were working with the two delegations to get their athletes back home as soon as possible.

He admitted his organisation had been taken aback by the strength of the reaction, saying: “Of course we realised that some NPCs would not like it, that some athletes would not like the decision. But I would say the magnitude of the reaction, and the escalation and the trend, it was a surprise for us.

“Some NPCs have written letters to us. None of them said, ‘if Russia and Belarus participate, we are out’. They say, ‘we think you should do that’. That’s very different from what is happening since yesterday’s decision. It’s a very rapid escalation that we did not think was going to happen.”

Valerii Sushkevych, president of Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee, welcomed the ban, saying: “I want to thank you very much for the vote of IPC for making a very important decision today for all our team, that Russia and Belarus must leave the Paralympic Games.”

Sushkevych described Ukraine’s presence at the Games as “a miracle”, saying: “I want to say that we went from Ukraine and through all of Ukraine for many days.

“We overcame a lot of barriers on the way. Many members of our team had to escape while there was bombardment and shells exploding. It is a miracle that we have made it to the Paralympics.

“A superpower wants to destroy my country, our country, and our presence at the Paralympic Games is not merely about being here. This is a sign that Ukraine was and will remain a country. It is a symbol that Ukraine is alive.

“We came here to defend peace in Ukraine and peace around the world. This terrible war must be stopped.”

The decision was also welcomed by the British Paralympic Association, with the organisation saying in a statement: “Given the horror of what is happening in Ukraine, we believe they have made the correct decision for these Games and is in line with the values of the Paralympic movement.

“ParalympicsGB athletes can now focus on the competition for which they have trained so hard and their welfare has been at the forefront of our thinking. We continue to express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our friends at NPC Ukraine.”

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who had criticised the initial decision, said on Thursday morning: “I am pleased that the IPC has now come to the right decision, and answered our call to ban Russian and Belarus athletes in response to Putin’s barbaric, senseless invasion.”

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said the UK Government plans to create a European coalition with the aim of putting pressure on Russia.

The DCMS said the coalition’s goals include stripping Russia and Belarus of hosting rights for international sporting events and banning their teams and athletes from international competition.

The BPA had reiterated its view on Wednesday that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete was not “compatible with the objectives of the Paralympic movement”.

IPC president Parsons said on Wednesday that any decision to suspend the Russian and Belarusian Paralympic Committees would have been overturned under German law, which governs the actions of the international federation.

However, the sheer weight of pressure from other NPCs threatening to boycott has now forced a change of approach.

The International Olympic Committee’s executive board recommended international sports federations and event organisers should exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes, teams and officials “wherever possible”.

Where this was not possible, the IOC board suggested such athletes compete as neutrals.